New Zealand

Flood of people leaving for Australia continues

14:04 pm on 19 August 2011

The number of people leaving the country for Australia set another record in July.

Statistics New Zealand says 3100 more people left for Australia than arrived last month, the most for a July since monthly records began in 1979.

There was, however, a net gain of 800 people from China and 700 from India.

Many of the New Zealanders heading to Australia were from Christchurch, with 800 hundred leaving the city in July, up from 600 in June.

Since the 22 February earthquake, 4200 people have left Christchurch, compared to 2500 over the same period in 2010.

Overall, New Zealand suffered its fifth consecutive monthly migration loss in July, with 220 more people leaving the country than arriving.

For the year to the end of July there was a net loss of 31,600 people to Australia, the highest annual outflow since the year to the end of April 2009.